Familiarity of Salem
by Fae 206
Summary: AU: Three hundred years, the Sanderson sisters attempted to silence Thackery Binx by turning him into a cat but they were unaware that his sister Emily was still alive and ready to rescue him. Binx returns to his family where he has to live as a house cat to avoid suspicion. These reflections are just what he needs when he meets Dani many years later.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I loved this movie when I was a kid but have never written anything for it before. There are probably going to be a lot of anachronisms but thank you for deciding to read.

**Familiarity of Salem**

**Chapter One**

Thackery had tried desperately to save and protect his younger sister, Emily, from the horrid house of the witches but it looked as if he had failed. They had caught him and were binding him against his will and all he could do was feel the shame that he hadn't been in time to save her. He had knocked over the cauldron that they were using and some of the liquid was running towards his sister's feet but that wasn't good enough. They wanted to punish him. Well, they had sobbed over the fact that even a small part of their life elixir had left but declared themselves still youthful enough.

His eyes widened as they looked in their book of curses for some punishment for him.

"His punishment must be more fulsome," Winifred said, "more lingering," she smiled before flipping through the pages, "Let's see: amnesia, bunions, chilblains, cholera," she shook her head trying to find another page. "We can do better than that, I think."

The sisters smiled together as Thackery attempted to escape but he couldn't. He needed at least to save his sister's body. He blinked, did he just imagine that her finger had tapped on the arm of the chair. He looked at her but then quickly turned to the sisters.

"Let's see what we have," Winifred continued before smiling and Thackery's eyes widened as they found something that pleased them but what kind of wicked curse could please _them_? He wanted to be on his family's land with his sister again. He wanted for this time to not come. "His punishment shall not be to die, but to live forever with his guilt."

"As what, Winnie, as what?" the two sisters said excitedly only to be told to take a step back as the eldest started her spell.

Thackery made another attempt to escape but it was as if his body was frozen, paralysis, he started to listen to the words which they said.

"Twist the bones and bend the back,"

"Itch-it-a-cop-it-a, Mel-a-ka-mystic-a"

"Trim him of his baby fat. Give him fur, black as black"

"Just"

"Like"

"This"

Thackery could hear the town people approaching but something was wrong with his body, it was getting smaller and lighter and he felt like hair was spreading all over his body. He looked up to yell at them, demand they leave the town of Salem alone but instead of words all that came out were meows. He heard people ordering the sisters to come out and felt scared. He couldn't do anything. Maybe he could scratch them, tear them up with his claws but he wasn't _him_ anymore. He hissed at them, starting to yowl before feeling somebody grab him from behind. He struggled before seeing that it was Emily. She held him close with one arm before grabbing a lighted candle and throwing it on top of their book with the other.

Despite her weakness, she managed to distract them enough to have them pay more attention to their spell book than to her. She ran into the woods and sat down, Thackery on her lap. "Brother?" she asked only to hear a meow in response. She pulled him closer into her arms, kissing the top of his head. "It'll be okay…I'll take care of you."

"I want to take care of you though," Thackery told her and Emily's eyes widened as she realized that he had spoken to her and not through a collection of meows. She held him closer and let her hand run over his head and behind his ears.

Magic curses were outlawed and witches hung for their misdeeds but she needed to keep her brother safe as he had attempted to keep her safe. She could hear the sound of her Father and getting up carefully, went towards him. Feeling a pain in her chest. She had to keep going, Thackery needed her to explain to them.

"Father" she called out and saw his surprise.

"Emily," he whispered and went over to her, "I thought you were a goner," he said as he kissed her head. "What of your brother?" he asked as he looked around. "Release the beast and tell me the story of what happened to your brother. Do you know if he is still of the living."

"Living, yes but under a curse," Emily said and her father looked at her.

"Why are you still holding that damned beast?" he asked as the cat looked up at him with wide eyes and Emily refused to put him down. The words were hurtful but only because her father was unaware of the truth.

"_Because _it is Thackery," Emily argued and heard her brother meow. She saw her father look at her in disbelief before turning back to the house. If these were witches then their power was unknown. They could easily twist mortal shape at their whim.

"Come to the house," her father said and Emily repositioned Thackery's body as she carried him. She heard a frightened yowl as he looked back at the house and Emily shook her head. She wanted to save her brother. It was him attempting to save her which kept him like this.

…

…

As they returned home, their mother was sitting worrying about them and Emily rushed over to her. Her mother hugged her before looking at the cat. "Where's Thackery?" she asked in panic and their father didn't know what to say in response. "Did something?"

"Light a few candles, eliminate all other light," the patriarch of the family said and his wife did so. Emily placed Thackery down onto the wooden floorboards now that it felt safe to do so.

"I apologize," Thackery said as he looked into one of the candles and he saw the horror on his parents' faces. "Were I not to have come too late, I could have protected the both of us."

Emily placed her hand on Thackery's new back, keeping him steady. She turned to her father who was staring in horror at the feline and then she saw her mother shaking before standing up and walking away from him. "I know it is strange," Emily began, "And if you don't want to take care of him then I will."

Their father reached out and used a finger to scratch his son behind the ear and to rub his cheek. He picked the cat up and held him close. "Nobody outside of the family must know about this," he stated as he cradled Thackery close to him. "It is to remain secret."

"We can keep him here….right?" Emily asked nervously and their father nodded. He placed Thackery down on his lap wanting to turn him back to his human self. Magic and witchcraft was real. Any doubts he had were removed by the condition of his son.

"Here," his mother said as she placed a saucer of fresh milk onto the floor. She saw Thackery get interested in it, he was starving after what had happened including his transformation. She watched him lap up the milk with tears in her eyes.

"To everyone outside of this family he is a regular house cat," she told them before petting him lovingly as he ate. "They can't take him away if he's a house cat."

"Let us hope that that is the case," their father said and Emily watched her brother feeling at a loss. Keeping him safe would have to be enough for now. He deserved to be shown love and protection and it seemed that that's what he would be receiving from his family. She was lucky to be alive and even luckier that she had saved him.

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **The flashbacks will not necessarily be in order but whatever I feel will fit. Due to Thackery's long life, there will be a lot of OC to match the flashbacks. Thank you for choosing to read this fic.

**Chapter Two**

After news of his death had been heard around Salem, the Binx family had had many visitors wanting to comfort the family in their time of loss. The secret about Thackery's true nature seemed to be kept from everyone outside of the family. Currently, the Binx parents were being visited by the local church leader and Emily went over to where the black cat was. She gently placed her hand on his head and pet his body, her fingers going over his feline spine.

He turned to her and purred happily, unable to control it.

"I'm sure they'll be gone soon," she whispered and Thackery rubbed his cheek against her fingers. "Come on, I don't want them to see you," she said as she picked Thackery up in her arms and went outside with him. She knelt as she set him down and saw his eyes dart to a mouse. Thackery wouldn't have noticed that mouse as much when he was human.

Emily nodded and looked over to the mouse, she knew that her brother was just responding to his new instincts. She watched as he jumped onto the mouse, trapping him beneath his paw. He pressed harder, squashing the rodent before sharply biting into its body and then bringing it over to Emily who had tears in her eyes.

She knew this was her big brother but she also knew that he was becoming more and more like the cat they had turned him into. She tried to hide the tears as Thackery turned to her guiltily. He hadn't meant to upset her.

"E-Emily," he whispered feeling ashamed of what he had just done. He was about to continue before he heard footsteps and tried to hide into the darkness.

"Thackery?" Emily asked before hearing the sound of a door behind her, "Father," she said in surprise before smiling to the guest and giving a slight curtsey. "Reverend," she said as she saw the other man look to her sadly.

"Have heart, young one," he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Those who have taken your brother's life will not be spared in the eyes of God. They will hang for their crimes and their savagery," he said and Emily nodded. The reverend was about to step forwards but saw the mouse on the ground and stared at her.

"We have a new cat," Emily said quickly. "An _animal_ is such a source of comfort during loss," she said and the reverend stared at her. An educated girl might grow up to be problematic in the community but she hadn't spoken out of turn. He would just have to keep a look out for her and whether she could commit to a husband dutifully and faithfully.

"He's a clever beast," her father nodded. "Is going to be a great help in getting rid of the pests. Sometimes a cat is a good omen," he said and the reverend nodded.

"Emily," he told her as he moved forwards, "If you are to ever need help, the church is on your side. Keep your heart open for The Lord," he said and Emily nodded. She saw the reverend take his leave and turned to her father nervously.

"I don't think that he meant to kill the creature," she said knowing that her father was still having difficulty getting used to Thackery's new nature. She saw the sadness in his eyes and as he looked around to see if they were safe, he sank down and looked around. "Thackery," Emily called out. "It's okay, they're gone."

"Emily," her father said and Emily nodded, "Bring the mouse on some parchment," he said before seeing the cat nervously approach them. Their father walked over and put his hands around the cat's belly, bringing him to his shoulder. "You may come inside now," he said as he gently pet the cat, "I love you, son," he told him as the black cat settled down on his father's shoulder.

He knew that he should trust his family but somehow he had beliefs that one day, his father would wake up, realize that there was no cure, and cast him out forever.

….

….

Lillian Binx smiled as she set down the tin of cat food for the cat who lived in the large house with her. It was out of loyalty that at least one descendent of the Binx family live within Salem. Over the years, Thackery's behavior and appetite fit that of a feline's but he still kept his sound mind and ability to speak. Lillian was an older woman though Thackery had watched her from the time she was a baby. She was now seventy years old and when she passes, he was to stay with her grandson who would inherit the house.

Lillian smiled as she pulled out a chair and heard the bell on Thackery's collar. "How has your morning been going, Thackery?" she asked. It was a family secret of what had happened to the boy years ago and Lillian knew that were she to tell anyone about him they would think she had lost her mind and this was for his own protection.

"Thank you," Thackery said as he looked up to his great great great great great great great grandniece. "I feel it is the same as every morning, how has your morning been going?"

"Very quietly," Lillian smiled, "I might entertain a gentleman caller tonight," she told him playfully. She reached over and gently pet him as he purred, "Tonight is All Hallow's Eve," she reminded him and saw the sadness in the cat's eyes. "I know it has always been a hard night for you. Will you be okay?"

"I will be fine," Thackery told her before shivering, "It's been three-hundred years since I was cast into this body. There is somewhere I need to be tonight though I wish you luck with your date," he said and Lillian sighed.

"Maybe I should stay with you," she said as she watched him. This was different than the other years. Three centuries would have passed today and it didn't appear that Thackery's curse was going to break at any point sooner. He would stay on this Earth until the end of time.

"You have cared for me well, much better than I deserve," Thackery tried to comfort her. "It is because of this family, our family, that I have been able to live such a long life without too much danger. I am truly grateful to you for the forty years you have taken ownership of my care personally. I do wish that I could have saved Victor for you," he told her and Lillian shook her head.

Victor had been a kind man, her husband, and he had always shown kindness to the cat who had once been a boy. The two had actually had many conversations and he had been respectful about the curse which had trapped Thackery in this body. Victor had died by the hand of a long illness but during the final years, Thackery had sat with him every night and told him stories about his very very long life.

"You're family," Lillian told him. "Do you want some more?" she asked as she saw the clean saucer and Thackery shook his head. He jumped up to the counter gracefully. He had spent three hundred years as a cat, he had spent about five-percent of that time as a human, less in fact. He had become much more comfortable in a feline body than a human body.

"I'm good," he told her, "I promise to keep myself safe. There is just somewhere that I need to be tonight. Take care of yourself, Lillian," he said and she pet his cheek before seeing him jump out the window and into the night. She had no idea how he had survived through the time of the witch trials but he was smart and able to protect himself. She had no doubt he would survive this night as well.

…

…

Thackery watched from the side of the room as his mother lay with a high fever and a pale color to her skin. She was sick and he hated himself for not being able to help her. All he could do was watch. He had been a cat for ten years and they had been unable to cure him. He hadn't even aged over the years. If he was human, he could get her medicine and take care of her, earn money for her care and her medicine at least but he was a cat. No one else knew the truth and though his family didn't blame him, he blamed himself.

"Mother," Emily rushed in with some herbs and other items in her arms that were said to help with this particular strain of the illness. "Take these. They will help you," she said nervously. "I have asked around town, we'll be able to get you proper medicine."

Their mother breathed painfully and tried to sit up. "I need -" she began but Emily cut her off.

"What do you need, mother?" Emily asked as she pushed her mother's hair back and then took a damp cloth, wiping off some of the sweat from her body. "Tell me. If I don't have it, well, there are people I can ask, people who have always been good to our family."

"Thackery," her mother said and Thackery jumped down and nervously approached her. Emily heard the sound of the pawprints and turned towards her brother.

"Hello, my brother," she whispered as she smiled down upon the feline. She gently stroked his head with her finger in a way that she knew that he favored. "He's right here," Emily told her. She knelt in front of her mother and pulled Thackery onto her lap.

Their mother opened her tired eyes and smiled affectionately at the black cat. She reached out a shaking hand and pet his head, he rubbed his cheek against her hand, worried about the boniness of it but trying to comfort his mother in the only way he physically could.

"I am so deeply apologetic to you, my son," she said and Thackery shook his head. "I tried to save you. I wanted to bring you back to us. I am sorry that I was not able to give to you your good life."

"Mother," Thackery said as he put his paws on the bedframe. "You and Father were able to give me a good life. Many others would have cast me off for this form, disowned me, you and Father were able to protect me and able to do something nearly impossible. You were able to love me despite my animal form. You and Father and Emily are the reasons I have been able to have a good life, the best life possible in this body. I apologize that I was not able to break the curse. If I had been a better son then maybe you wouldn't be in this position."

His mother pet his head again, "I love you, my little boy. I love you, Emily," she said as she gazed upon her daughter. "Emily, after my passing, I want for you to keep a promise to me, an oath."

"Anything, Mother," Emily replied and their mother made direct eye contact with the young woman.

"Take care of your brother. Provide food, water, shelter for him. Do not allow him to get hurt. Please promise me that you will take care of your brother," their mother said and Emily felt tears in her eyes.

"Of course," she sniffed as she pulled Thackery closer to her chest, "Of course, I will."

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

**Have a good rest of your day **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three **

Just as he had done for every other important moment in his family's lives, Thackery observed his mother's body being taken out of the house, he observed the preparations for the funeral, and he felt his guilt at not being the son which his family had needed. Despite the fact that the family had always kept his identity completely concealed, Emily was showing the pain in her face from not finding him. She could only imagine the pain which he had gone through and how he felt responsible for her loss.

Tonight had been the burying of his mother's body and Thackery had hidden on the roof, watching the way the moon rose in the sky. Things should be different. He had been around to other houses where a mother or father was sick. If they had medicine fast enough then they could get better. Medicine took money. He could have earned money were he human.

Emily was making some sounds which usually meant for him to come but he ignored her. He was responsible for all of this pain. He should have died on the night when they had Emily – after ensuring her escape of course - that way he wouldn't have burdened his family.

"Kitty, kitty, kitty," Emily called and Thackery saw their father place his hand on her shoulder.

"Not now," he said and Emily watched him again, her eyes were pleading with him that they sit together as a family. She saw the complicated expression as he went into the house and took off his hat. Thackery went to the place he had found just above the room where he could eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Father," Emily said with tears in her eyes. "Why do you cast him out so? He is hurting the same as -"

"Cast him out?" their father asked before looking at the fire. "Could you?" he asked and Emily sighed before getting the fire started. She had learned that with Thackery's limitations, she had had to play both son and daughter in the household. "Why do you think that I cast him out? He's still in the house."

"You know what I mean, mother has asked me to be the one who takes care of Thackery. He didn't deserve what happened to him. Mother still loved him even to her dying bre-"

"Words are not the only way of expressing love," her father attempted to explain. "I find it disrespectful to insist that I do not have feelings of love and kinship for my son. I have been attempting to find a cure but dealing with witchcraft is a death sentence. If we were to move but financial ties bind us here." Her father stood before going to the kitchen and stepped outside to get the fresh milk bottle. "I wish to ease the suffering of my son, of your brother."

"So all of those nights when Thackery has slept curled up on the bed, you have not been unsatisfied?" Emily asked and her father looked at her confused.

"Thackery is my son. Feet or paws. Whiskers or beard. He is my son. Is it not a father's place to want to keep their son with them and not to cast them out. I just hope he can understand that his place, his life is a comfort to all of us at least it is with me."

"Me too," Emily nodded and Thackery shivered before he jumped down to the stairs and came over to them. He sat there and both of his family members had sad but relieved smiles on their faces. Thackery bowed his head and his father set the milk in front of him.

"I apologize that I was not able to save mother," he said and his father squatted in front of him, petting him behind the ear. For a man who was once haunted by the idea of magic, he was able to show genuine care for his eldest child. Emily shared a look with him before she took out some of the leftover fish from the meal the night before, a meal that Thackery had not been present for.

"Let that be my failing," his father told him and Thackery felt his cheek rub against his father's offered hand. He shared a steady gaze with the man who had wished numerous things for his son, numerous hopes and plans that had never met fruition. At least a cat could be a comfort, a cat with his son's voice, character, and spirit even more so.

…

…

Thackery looked at the houses that were around Salem, they were so much different from the ones he had spent a human life living in. People constructed with metal much more than wood and brick, there were also larger areas for schools and less farming land. It had definitely changed over the multiple centuries he had lived but he knew every inch of it as if it were part of him. Maybe there were others who had Salem existing in their blood like him but he doubted it.

As he went through the city, he looked in the direction of the cemetery. They had replaced many of the tombstones there and he had done his best to protect the Binx clan but when they had knocked down the tombstone of his mother and father, his heart had been crushed. They had done it to sell off the land for others but Thackery would not let them destroy his sister's tombstone. He hadn't been there for when they had hurt his parents but his sister had lived a good long life with a husband and children but she had never left Salem. He would not allow man's machine to hurt her.

As he walked through the familiar grass, he looked to the side where there was the tombstone of Billy Butcherson. Why his grave survived and his own parents hadn't destroyed Thackery but he knew that such giving people as his parents were existing in a heaven.

"Emily," Thackery whispered to himself knowing that only the birds and bugs would be able to hear him. "I feel something different tonight. I feel as if there's something that is going to happen this year. You would tell me that I'm an overthinking cat with an overly analytic mind but I have that feeling." Thackery made it to his sister's grave and put his paw up on the tombstone. Of course the Binx was not on there, she had married and taken her husband's name.

Her husband had been a very good man and when he had been told about Thackery's condition, he had taken some time to become used to the idea but would often bring him dead birds and field mice and talk to him and Emily had made sure that his fur was clean and he had no aches and pains and he had played with his nieces and nephews.

It was a happy life for a cat but a rather sad and lonely life for one who had once been human with ambitions of their own. He let his body curl up on her grave as he felt the vibrations on the earth. He wanted to stay here for just a moment and then he would go over to the Sanderson home. He just wanted to be with his sister again.

…

…

Thackery stretched his paws out when he woke up and looked around. He really needed to make his way over to the Sanderson property. He was tasked in life to be able to make sure that the witches never came to life again. He couldn't turn his back on his duties for the sake of a long nap. He rubbed his side against his sister's tombstone, purring loudly and then went to the gate. He jumped up and continued on his way.

As he sat there atop the fence, he saw three people heading in a direction in which they should not be headed. There was a young man wearing what these people thought was 'cool' or 'trendy' and he was acting prideful and vain and along with him a young girl, his own sister, and a very beautiful girl who would have turned all of his friends heads when he was human. What were they doing? What was going on here?

"So, this is a museum?" the little girl who was dressed as a witch asked as she ate a lollipop and the older girl nodded. "Isn't that soooo boring," she whined and the boy nudged her back.

"Dani," he said as he looked over to the girl beside him and Thackery shook his head. They were foolish. They were heading into danger and he couldn't believe how ridiculously foolish they were being. "Can't you do this for me?"

"You'll really enjoy this," the other girl said and Thackery tried to run along so he could stop them. "There's a little bit of a mystery as to what happened with them. We'll have to see if that's true."

"Oh, don't worry," Dani said in a laid back manner, "We can try, Max is still a virgin," she announced and Allison smiled, turning to the side slightly. Thackery shook his head. No. How could they know about this and why? Why were they trying to be so daring!? Why were they being so foolish. This would cause harm on all of them, this was what he had waited his whole life to prevent.

**End of Chapter Three**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Two

Feathered moon wings, Jago Li Son Shiranui


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